Grapevine

New book claims Trump spoke seven times to Putin since leaving White House

Reporter Bob Woodward’s new book alleges Trump kept close ties with Putin. Trump’s team has called Woodward ‘deranged’.

Former United States President and current Republican nominee Donald Trump has kept in regular touch with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to new, unverified claims made by a celebrated journalist.

Bob Woodward, 81, alleges Trump made at least seven phone calls to the Russian leader since he left the Oval Office in January 2021.

One of the phone calls took place as recently as earlier this year, Woodward claims in his forthcoming book, War. Trump reportedly asked one of his aides to leave his office at his Mar-a-Lago estate so he could talk to the Russian leader.

The Trump campaign has rejected the allegations. Steven Cheung, the former president’s communications director, said on Tuesday that none of the stories in Woodward’s book was true.